Presentation created for Master's program course. New business pitch for a wedding resource aggregator website local to the Southern Indiana market. Concept, name and logo copyrighted (2012), contact me for investment opportunities ;)

1.  
Vendor listing and review site for South-Central Indiana

2. • Description of business
• Income sources
• Competitive overview
• Competitive obstacles

3. 903 Marriage licenses in Monroe
County in 2011*
$16,292 Average wedding cost in
and Bloomington, IN**
$27,153
$14.7 M Amount spent in 2011 if every
and couple with a marriage
$24.5 M license has a wedding
*The Herald-Times **CostofWedding.com

4. • In Bloomington, IN—where you have such fond memories
of grad school
• How will you start planning?
• Where will you find information on all the things you’ll
need: venue(s), catering, flowers, photographers, etc.

6. • Vendor listing and reviews
• South-Central Indiana
o May expand to more of Indiana
• Free to users
o Registration required
• Free listing for vendors
o Added benefits for subscribers

7. • Vendor subscriptions
o $0 Standard account: list business, contact information, 1 photo
o $40 Preferred account: 4 photos, respond directly to users, basic
reporting
o $80 Featured account: unlimited photos, featured listings in
category, advanced reporting
• Third-party information sales
o aggregate data
o opt-in for individual information
• Advertising

8. Best South-Central
 The Knot
WeddingChannel.co
m
Indianapolis
Weddings
Indiana
Bride’s Guide
Bloomington
Bridal Show
Primary operations Online, Online Online Print (magazine), Offline event
print online
(magazine
& book)
National/local National National Local Local Local
# of vendors 21,000 More than 14,000 About 1,200
# of local vendors 9* ~100** 43 50
Reviews Yes Yes Yes No No
functionality
Owned/distributed XO Group, Inc. WeddingWire Hoosier Times, Sponsors: Perfect
by Inc. Parties, The Herald
Times, WBWB
radio, Bloomington
Convention Center
2011 revenue $124.3 million NA NA NA
2011 revenue from $70.1 million (online) NA NA NA
advertising
*Count of Bloomington, IN address **Count of (812) phone

9. • Online resource for wedding
ideas and planning
o editorial content about
weddings
o vendor directory
o photos of “real weddings”
o offline components: quarterly
magazine, books

11. • High brand recognition
o 8 in 10 U.S. brides use their
site (The Knot.com)
• Owned by the XO Group
• Income sources
o advertising (online, print)
o retail (wedding favors,
invitations, etc)
o user information

12. • Online resource for
wedding registries and
vendor directories

14. • Owned by the XO Group
• Income sources
o advertising
o vendor subscriptions for
added features
o likely partnerships with large
retailers (registries)
o user information

15. • 140 localized sites for vendor
listings and reviews
o Indianapolis only site for
Indiana market
• Users cannot review
vendors without vendor
access
• Owned by the Wedding
Wire Network
• Income sources
o vendor subscriptions
o user information

16. • Annual magazine for brides
in South-Central Indiana
o editorial content about
weddings
o vendor directory
o photos of real weddings
o companion website
• Published and distributed
by The Herald-Times
• Income sources
o advertising

17. • Annual bridal show for
weddings in Bloomington
& surrounding areas
o vendor booths
o giveaways
o distribute information (SCI
Bride’s Guide)
o online component…
• Income sources
o vendor registration
o $3 admission

18. Harvest
Deer Park One
Moon The Workshop
Manor World Can add vendors Sign up
Flower (Photography)
(Venue) Catering
Farm
The Knot No No No No No Required, free
Wedding Yes No Yes No Yes Required, free
Channel
Best Yes Yes Yes No No Must get info from
Indianapolis vendor
Weddings
SCI Bride’s Yes No No No No
Guide
Bloomington Yes Yes No No No
Bridal Show

19. • Low power of suppliers (vendors)
• Low power of buyers (people planning weddings in SC
Indiana)
• Low threat of substitute products—users turning more to
online resources rather than magazines, print directories

20. • High rivalry among competitors
o differentiate by targeting South-Central Indiana
o disadvantaged by XO Group & Wedding Wire Network economies of
scale
• High threat of new entrants—especially from Best (City)
Weddings, The Knot local sites
o may be first-mover advantage in area
• develop relationships with vendors, brand recognition with buyers
• direct network effects in vendor reviews

21. Additional
Listing price
Channel features price Yearly cost Photos User reviews Searchable
(monthly)
(monthly)
The Knot $110 Standard* Preferred $1,320 Yes Yes Yes
Featured
Wedding Free (can be $110 Standard* $1,320 Yes Yes Yes
Channel added by users) Preferred
Featured
Best Free $130 Enhanced $1560 - $4,200 Yes Yes No
Indianapolis $175 Featured
Weddings $350 Spotlight
SCI Bride’s $455 - $2,395 No No No
Guide
Bloomington $375 No No No
Bridal Show
Hoosier Free (can be $40 Preferred $480 - $960 Yes Yes Yes
Weddings added by users) $80 Featured
*Pricing varies by location

22.  